Ohio Department of Health Releases New Covid-19 Numbers | News, sports, jobs

Noble County has gone from one of the lowest cases of COVID-19 in Ohio to the highest, according to the latest numbers from the state health department, though the actual increase was only 30 cases.

Every Thursday, the state publishes new cases from 100,000 people in the past two weeks. From September 1-14, Noble County posted 30 cases. In a county of 14,424 residents, the rate was 208 per 100,000, 86th among Ohio’s 88 counties.

From September 8-21, which as usual overlaps with the previous period of one week, there were 60 new cases. The rate of 416 per 100,000 was the 10th highest in the region.

The statewide average was 257.7 per 100,000, down from 320.5 in the previous period. Outside of Noble, local counties have followed that trend.

Athens County went from the second highest rate in the state at 809.8 to the fourth highest at 491.4. The actual number of cases in the county of 65,327 (a figure that does not include all Ohio University students, although local health officials said positive cases were counted among them) dropped from 529 to 321.

Morgan County, population 14,508, had 46 cases and a rate of 317.1 (23rd) after previously posting 62 new cases and a rate of 427.4 (16th).

Washington County had 170 new cases among its 59,911 residents, at 283.8, 39th in the state. A week ago, Washington reported 225 new cases and a rate of 375.6, which is 35th.

Monroe County, population 13,654, moved from 66th to 48th, although it reported four fewer cases. In the most recent 36 cases, the rate was 263.7. In the previous period, there were 40 new cases and a volume of 293.

Monroe County has moved from moderate to low on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Covid community rankings each week, based on new cases and hospitalization rates of more than 100,000 people over the past seven days.

In counties designated as moderate, the CDC recommends that people at risk of severe illness wear masks at home and in public. A lower level means that masks are only recommended on public transport.

Athens and Morgan counties remain high, with masks recommended for everyone at home and in public places. Noble County is moderate, while Washington County has dropped from high to moderate.